Black Rose
by JacksonFrost
Summary: Twenty one-shots, twenty moments in Narcissa Black Malfoy's life. This is the portrait of a Black rose.
1. Purpose

**Author's Note: **This is for the 180 Song Titles and Quotes challenge on the HPFFC forum. I've picked twenty-five quotes/song titles and will write twenty-five one-shots about Narcissa Black Malfoy, throughout her life. Some of the quotes will be incorporated into the story and some will just be the title and basis for the one-shot. The first one is "Your Purpose Isn't To Look Pretty and Lie On Your Back."

As always, let me know what you think! :)

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**Black Rose**

Narcissa Black was everything a proper pure-blooded witch should be. Her eldest sister, Bellatrix, was just a bit too fiery and passionate to be considered proper, and her middle sister, Andromeda, was too outspoken about what she disagreed with (which was the majority of the commonly held pure-blood beliefs) and that was a cardinal sin according to their mother, an expert on proper behavior.

But Narcissa was a perfect pure-blood witch. Both of her sisters were beautiful, but Narcissa's beauty was softer, more elegant, more enchanting. Andromeda was brilliant, but Narcissa's intelligence was understated and less obvious, a welcome trait in a pure-blood witch. Bellatrix was intense and fiery, but Narcissa was demure and soft-spoken. Her mother laid her hopes at Narcissa's feet, and her father reserved his approving smiles for her. Narcissa herself was overly proud of her accomplishments as a pure-blood. She didn't focus on the truth, that her sisters had their own beliefs and ideas and didn't blindly follow their family, as she did. She didn't dwell on the fact that her sisters tired of her and excluded her from their secretive talks and their mischievous pranks. Narcissa Black thought the best thing in the world to be was perfect, and so she aimed her standards impossibly high, never doing anything a proper pure-blood witch should not do.

It was hard. And her sisters didn't understand.

"Come on, Cissy, live a little!" Bellatrix would urge.

"Cissy, can you not be so perfect all the time?" Andromeda would gripe, only half-teasing.

As Narcissa paced the luxurious garden of roses in her backyard, she noticed Andromeda practically running to get to her.

"Cissy, want to go on a walk with me?" she said giddily, grabbing Narcissa's hands.

Narcissa grimaced. "Andy, it's wet outside. My slippers will be ruined!" She gave Andromeda her best pout.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Then go and change into boots! Borrow a pair of mine if you don't want to ruin yours. Come on, Cissy, I have so much to tell you!"

Narcissa was ready to protest, but the look in her sister's eyes stopped her. "Fine," she spat, with only a touch of venom. "But I'm wearing your boots!" She tossed a smile over her shoulder at Andromeda and headed up to her sister's room.

A few minutes later, she was back, wearing the boots and an expression of distaste. "Let's go," she said grudgingly.

Andromeda giggled and started down the winding path in the woods at the edge of the garden. "Come on, Cissy!" she called, already in the woods.

Narcissa walked quickly, trying to catch up with her sister. She would never admit it, but the darkness of the woods terrified her. When she reached Andromeda, she spoke, her words lingering amongst the trees: "What did you want to talk about?"

Andromeda grinned at her. "Well, I met this guy and-"

Narcissa's squeal interrupted her. "Who?"

Andromeda's expression suddenly became guarded. "That's not an important part of the story."

Her younger sister rolled her eyes. "Andy, it's _vital_ to the story. What's his name?"

Andromeda noticed the petulant whine that had crept into Narcissa's voice and sighed. "His first name is Ted. That's all you're getting. Now can I continue?"

"Ted….Ted Robertson is cute, Ted Hawthorne maybe, although his mother is apparently psychotic, hm, perhaps Ted Notts, that would be lovely," Narcissa trailed off, thinking of more pure-bloods named Ted, until she noticed Andromeda's ferocious look. "Okay, well, continue."

"Thank you," Andromeda said dryly. "Now, anyway, he introduced me to law and oh, Cissy, I love it!"

Narcissa stared at her blankly. "What are you talking about?"

"Ministry law!" Andromeda explained impatiently. "It's the perfect career for me. Ted showed me transcripts of trials, and told me how I could become a Ministry lawyer, and it was so helpful, much more helpful than that hag McGonagall ever was."

Narcissa shook her head in disbelief. "Andy, please. We don't need careers."

Andromeda frowned. "It's not a matter of need, it's a matter of _want_."

Narcissa waved her hand impatiently. "Regardless, you're not getting a career. You're a pure-blood witch."

Andromeda regarded her icily. "And what, pray tell, do pure-blood witches do?"

"We marry wealthy pure-blood husbands, have children to carry on the line, and behave properly in society," Narcissa recited without hesitation.

Andromeda's eyes narrowed. "Oh Cissy," she said acidly. "Your purpose isn't to look pretty and lie on your back!"

Narcissa moved to slap her, but Andromeda grabbed her wrist. The sisters stared at each other, anger and hurt and disappointment flashing in both of their eyes. After a pregnant moment, Andromeda dropped Narcissa's wrist in disgust and turned away, leaving Narcissa standing on the path, alone.


	2. Stars

**Author's Note: **The prompt was "Stars." I think the end is kind of ironic, considering Deathly Hallows. Enjoy! Reviews are much appreciated! :)

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**Stars**

Narcissa sometimes felt as if she didn't belong in the Black family. She was the ideal Black woman, beautiful and graceful and cold, but she didn't have a purpose. That afternoon in the woods with Andromeda had stayed with her, the words running through her head as she lay in bed at night.

Andromeda had apologized, in her own way, with a sideways smile at the dinner table and a word of warning to Bellatrix when she began teasing Narcissa. Still, Narcissa felt a knot of anger and hurt in her stomach whenever she thought of that afternoon.

They all had a purpose, except for her. Narcissa blamed her name.

The Blacks were named after bright stars in the sky- all except Narcissa.

She was named after a flower. A pointless _flower. _It wasn't even a pretty flower, like a rose. She was named after a bloody daffodil.

On the other hand, the star Bellatrix was the Amazon star. It made sense, considering Bella's absolute fearlessness and fiery power. Bellatrix was a warrior, and her name reflected that.

Then there was Andromeda, who wasn't just a star, but both a whole galaxy and constellation. Andromeda had the power to do whatever she pleased, and she _would _end up doing so. Narcissa knew that, Andromeda knew that, everyone knew that.

The Sirius star was the brightest star in the night sky, something that Sirius Black boasted about often. It was something to live up to, that was certain, and Sirius enjoyed doing so.

His younger brother, Regulus, was the 22nd brightest star in the sky- overshadowed by Sirius in the sky as he was at home. However, Regulus liked to claim that he was one of the four royal stars and the brightest star in the constellation Leo. He had his own destiny to claim, and it promised to be bright.

Narcissa was the lone Black without the name of a star to claim, without the astrological facts to prove her destiny. She was named after a pointless flower, and would remain as insignificant as a daffodil her entire life, while her sisters and cousins lived their lives as productive, _important_ people in the Wizarding world.

Narcissa accepted this, but it still hurt.


	3. What Others Say

**Author's Note:** This chapter's prompt is "Everything They Said About You, They Were Wrong." Let me know what you think!

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Narcissa smoothed the front of her silky white dress as she sat primly down on the rigid bench. She was at yet another society party with her family, and quite honestly, she needed a moment to herself, a moment to escape the constant inquiries about who she wishes to marry.

She was fifteen, the suitable age for becoming betrothed. She knew this and had to suppress a growing feeling panic when she thought of her suitors- or lack thereof.

It wasn't that she wasn't pretty or desirable as a pureblood wife. Really, she should be the epitome of what pureblood wizards wanted. But she was cold and detached and it kept the nervous teenagers away from her. She knew that when the wizards matured, she was exactly what they would be looking for. But as for now, they wanted giggly witches who were generous with their kisses and weren't afraid to have a good time. They wanted everything Narcissa was not.

She sighed as she heard a gaggle of girls her own age move by the rosebushes behind her. She listened with a touch of envy as they giggled about boys and the latest society gossip. Narcissa had friends, but none she could relax with and just have fun. She kept her perfect mask on at all times, which severely limited her opportunities for making close friends. The only time her mask slipped was with Andromeda and Bellatrix. Narcissa pretended that she really couldn't care much for either of her sisters, but the truth was that they were her only true friends, the only people she could be herself with.

Bellatrix shook Narcissa out of her thoughts as she sat down next to her, panting slightly as she removed her heels.

"I want to go home," she moaned. "I'd leave, but Mother would die."

Narcissa shushed her quickly, gesturing to the rosebush which acted as a barrier between Narcissa and the girls. Bellatrix smirked at her knowingly, but remained quiet, as they listened in.

"Lucius is so cute," squealed a particularly high-pitched voice. Bellatrix winced.

"I know, he is adorable," echoed another. "Who do you think he's interested in?"

"Anna, he might be interested in you!" screeched a third voice. "You're not betrothed yet, and who else isn't? Sarah, Amelia…"

"Narcissa Black," said the first voice, with an air of distaste.

There was a scattering of laughter. Narcissa avoided Bellatrix's probing stare.

"Well, he's not interested in her," said the second voice cruelly. "She's such a bloody ice queen, no one likes her."

"She's horrible. So _perfect,_" scoffed the first voice. "She reminds me of my mother, who's fifty."

Giggles floated through the rosebush, pelting Narcissa, who bowed her head to hide her flaming cheeks.

"Poor dear," the third voice said in a horrible sing-song voice. "I would stab myself if I was her."

"Did you see that horribly ugly dress Anne was wearing?" Bellatrix said loudly. "What was she thinking?"

There was a gasp, some muffled giggles, and the voices rather quickly drifted away as the girls moved on through the garden. Narcissa could feel Bellatrix radiating fury beside her, but she refused to look up.

Finally Bellatrix spoke. "I can't believe those bitches."

"It's nothing," Narcissa said quickly, putting a hand on her cheek. "I don't care."

"Well, I do," Bellatrix spat. "I was dying to confront those horrid girls. But I thought you would die of shame."

Narcissa smirked. "I probably would have. Thanks for getting them to go away though."

Bellatrix gave her an almost-tender smile. "Of course. It's my duty as an older sister. Nobody trashes the Blacks and remains unscathed though, those girls will have something awful coming to them shortly." A truly wicked smile lit up her features.

Narcissa smiled softly and looked down. Bellatrix uncertainly placed a hand on her back.

"Cissy. Everything they said about you, they were wrong," Bellatrix said firmly. "You need to know that."

Narcissa considered voicing her protests but instead just nodded. "I know," she lied, and as the wind blew, the scent of roses filled the air. Perfect roses... Narcissa didn't think they smelled so desirable anymore.


	4. Wishes

**Author's Note: **This chapter's prompt is "Wishes." Sorry for the delay between updates, I've been so busy! Let me know what you think!

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**Wishes**

There were two words Bellatrix hated in life- well, there were quite a few, but two stuck out to Narcissa- and they were "I wish…"

As a child, Narcissa was prone to fits of whining (and if one was really honest, they would acknowledge that even as a teenager, she still indulged in whining) and would often come up to Bellatrix with her latest woe: "I wish…" she would start, a petulant pout marring her features.

"I wish you would shut up," Bella would snap irritably. "If you want something that badly, go out and work for it!"

Narcissa would wrinkle her nose- _work_ for it?- but would keep her wishes to herself, or go and share them with a more sympathetic Andromeda.

Now, Narcissa smiled at the memory. She was never like Bellatrix; _she_ loved wishes, relished in them. There was something magical about wishes and dreams. And Narcissa had quite a few.

She wished that she was betrothed; wished that she had a Prince Charming to complete her fairy tale. It wasn't _fair_ that all the other girls had somebody to love and she was all alone.

Narcissa saw Andromeda writing letters to her Ted, who was certainly not just a _friend_, as Andy kept insisting. Deep down, Narcissa was jealous of her sister's happiness. She knew that made her a horrible person, but she couldn't help it. She wished she had what Andromeda had.

Even Bellatrix was better off than Narcissa. Bella was betrothed to Rodolphus Lestrange and the wedding was fast approaching. Narcissa ignored Bellatrix's complaints and angry rants about how she barely knew the fool and had loathed him at first sight. Bella was always mad about something, that didn't mean anything. At least she was deemed desirable enough to be sought after by countless pureblood wizards. And Bellatrix had the Dark Lord to love. Narcissa secretly thought her sister's infatuation with the darkest wizard of all time was rather creepy, but it was love. Granted, he didn't love her back, but Rodolphus did, so really, Bellatrix should consider herself lucky. She could experience the feeling of loving and being loved. That was more than Narcissa could say.

Narcissa sighed. She wished for a lot of things, but it always came back to this. She wished a boy would love her and marry her, she wished for that with all her heart.

And she ignored the nagging saying she heard so often as a child- _Be careful what you wish for…._


	5. Cold Heart

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been so busy! The prompt I used for this chapter was "If Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, That Explains Why Your Heart Is So Cold." Let me know what you think!

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**Cold Heart**

"Cissy. I have something to tell you." The ragged edge of Andromeda's voice jolted Narcissa out of her daydream. She turned from the mirror and looked at her older sister curiously.

"What's the matter?"

Andromeda bit her lip. "Cissy, you're going to be upset when I tell you this. And I don't want you to tell Bella quite yet."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "What is it, Andy?"

Andromeda gave her a half-smile. "Do you remember how I was talking about Ted?"

Narcissa's eyes instantly lit up. "Yes! Are you finally ready to tell me his last name?"

Andromeda nodded. "I think I should….it's Tonks."

Narcissa furrowed her brow, thinking. "I don't believe I know that name," she mused. "Is he foreign?"

Andromeda smirked. "No, he's not foreign, Cissy."

Narcissa gazed at her for a second and then made a face. "Oh, _gross_, he's a half-blood? Andy, come on now."

Andromeda frowned. "And what's wrong with that?"

"We're Blacks! Dating a half-blood would be horrible for our image, Father would have a fit, it's just plain disgusting, and I don't think-"

"He's not a half-blood," Andromeda interrupted loudly. "He's Muggle-born."

Shock flitted over Narcissa's face before it settled into a blank mask. She looked away from Andromeda, turning back to the mirror.

"Cissy," Andromeda pleaded softly. "Talk to me."

"Why did you tell me?" Narcissa asked flatly.

Andromeda frowned. "Because you're my sister and I'm in love with him and when we go back to Hogwarts next week, you're going to see me with him-" she paused at Narcissa's noticeable shudder but ignored it- "…and Cissy, I just wanted you to hear it from me."

Narcissa didn't look at her. "When will you tell Bella?"

"I don't know," Andromeda said, cringing. "I thought maybe we could tell her together? It might soften the blow if she thought you were okay with it."

"But I'm not," Narcissa said coolly, examining her nails.

"Cissy, come on," Andromeda said with a forced smile. "We're in love. It's kind of romantic, don't you think?"

Narcissa finally broke her composure. "No, Andromeda, I don't think that you falling in love with a Mudblood is at all romantic," she snapped, rolling her eyes.

"Please don't call him that," Andromeda said softly.

Narcissa snorted. "You should go tell Bella. I'm sure she'll think of some better names for _him_."

Andromeda bit her lip. "Please, Cissy, try to see my side."

Narcissa shook her head, giving her sister one of her trademark ice queen smiles. "I'm afraid I can't." She turned back to the mirror, running her fingers through her platinum hair.

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you so pretty?" she hissed. "You know, if beauty is only skin deep, that explains why your heart is so cold."

With that, she stormed away, leaving Narcissa placidly gazing in the mirror. Only one who was paying particularly close attention would notice the quivering of her lip and the bead of moisture in her eye.


	6. Change

**Author's Note:** The prompt for this chapter is "Little Girls Become Young Women and The World Devours Their Soul." As always, reviews are much appreciated!!

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**Change**

The months had passed rather quickly once the girls returned to Hogwarts. It had been Bellatrix's last year, and Narcissa had barely spent time with her at all. It wasn't by choice, but instead of the endless fireside chats and gossip she had grown accustomed to over the years, Narcissa's contact with her eldest sister had been limited to hearing her creep into her bed in the middle of the night, wearing robes tattered and smeared with blood. Narcissa didn't question Bellatrix's suspicious activities, and in return, Bellatrix didn't question why Narcissa avoided Andromeda like the plague. Andromeda had never told Bella about her relationship with Ted that summer, and luckily for her, Bellatrix was too preoccupied with _whatever_ she was doing to notice.

And so the months passed, winter fading into spring, which transformed into summer. And before Narcissa knew it, she was sitting stiffly next to Andromeda, watching Bellatrix, in her Slytherin green robes, whisper to her friends as Dumbledore delivered the commencement speech.

"In another year, it will be me," Andromeda said, somewhat awkwardly, chancing a smile at Narcissa.

The smile was unreciprocated. Narcissa rolled her eyes and declined to respond.

The silence grew increasingly tense until the point of the ceremony when the graduates broke into thunderous applause. Sparks flew out of their wands, lighting up the night sky in a blaze of red, yellow, green, and blue. Andromeda and Narcissa clapped politely, each secretly relieved that the awkward silence had been lifted.

They silently made their way to the field, where masses of people were swarming around. Bellatrix found them first, grinning happily. "I graduated!" she exclaimed, giving them each a superior look.

Andromeda laughed. "Congratulations, Bella," she said, hugging her sister tightly.

Narcissa grimaced in Andromeda's direction. "Congratulations," she said primly.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and threw her arms around her. "It's allowed to be affectionate in public when it's after a graduation, Cissy," she whispered teasingly.

Narcissa smirked and pushed her away. "Let's get away from all these people. The stench of Mudblood is disgusting me."

Bellatrix laughed, and started to lead them off the field. Andromeda followed, but shot Narcissa a scathing look. Narcissa smiled victoriously and skipped ahead to catch up with Bellatrix.

When Bellatrix finally stopped walking, they were near the lake, partly hidden by trees. Bella nodded approvingly and sat down on the damp grass. Andromeda followed suit, and finally Narcissa, although not without a long suffering sigh as she let her robes touch the grass.

"So," Bellatrix said loudly, looking between her sisters. "Drop whatever you two are fighting about immediately. Today is about _me_."

Narcissa smirked at Andromeda. "You should tell Bella why we're no longer speaking."

"It's ridiculous," snapped Andromeda. "I shan't bother her with such a petty reason to fight."

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows. "Kiss and make up, girls," she teased.

"I wouldn't dare to kiss those lips after what's been on them," Narcissa muttered.

Andromeda narrowed her eyes dangerously, and Bellatrix frowned in confusion. "What are you not telling me?" she asked sharply.

Andromeda shook her head. "It's nothing. Really. Bella, I can't believe you're getting married in a month!"

Bellatrix eagerly latched on to the new subject, as Andromeda knew she would. "I know," she groaned. "It's awful. Rodolphus is a fool. I'm dreading it."

Narcissa scoffed. "At least you're getting married."

Bellatrix's eyes lit up. "Oh, Cissy, you'll never guess what I heard. I heard of a possible betrothal for you! Actually, I'm quite positive that your soon-to-be betrothed's parents are currently in negotiations with our parents." She sat back and grinned.

Narcissa gaped at her. "What? I don't have any marriage proposals. Bella, if this is a joke, it's cruel."

Bellatrix smirked. "That's not what I heard from a certain Lucius Malfoy."

Narcissa's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Well, Cissy, any senior who is remotely important in the pure-blood society is already betrothed and planning their wedding. Lucius, poor thing, was betrothed to this fabulously wealthy girl. But _she_ ran away with a common Muggle!" Bella saw Narcissa beginning to protest and quickly rushed on. "It was kept very hush-hush, Cissy, you wouldn't have heard of it. I only found out through Lucius. He moved on very quickly though. He asked me if my little sister was betrothed, I said no, and he smirked in that obnoxious way of his. Next thing I know, he was exchanging letters with an incredibly pleased Father. Oh, and he also asked me what your favorite color was," Bellatrix finished, with an impossibly smug expression.

"And what did you tell him?" Narcissa asked, her mind spinning.

"Pale pink," Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "And you would pick that of all things to focus on first."

"I just can't believe it," Narcissa said, smiling softly. "Lucius Malfoy. Wow."

"He's a bit of a prick," Bellatrix said cheerfully.

Narcissa ignored her. "What a good match," she said thoughtfully.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "I do hope my marriage will have _some_ love in it, and not have happened because my husband had been rejected by his first choice."

Narcissa blushed angrily. "Oh, shut up," she snapped. "You're just jealous because your younger sister is betrothed before you."

Bellatrix laughed. "Well, Andy, that's true. We need to find you a husband."

"I already found a perfect candidate for marriage, who loves me for me and not my status or wealth!" Andromeda shot at Narcissa, ignoring Bellatrix.

Narcissa glared at her. "Too bad he's a _Mudblood_," she said clearly and coldly.

Andromeda gasped in shock and Bellatrix's eyes tightened. "What?" she asked in a voice that made the warmth of the day suddenly turn cold.

Narcissa glanced at the pale Andromeda and bit her lip. "Nothing," she muttered.

"No," Bellatrix said, her eyes burning. "I asked what you said."

Narcissa looked at the ground, not speaking. Andromeda took a hesitant breath. "Bella," she said pleadingly. "Listen. My boyfriend, Ted Tonks, is a Muggleborn."

Bellatrix seemed to radiate with fury. "Andromeda," she hissed. "_That_ _is_ _unacceptable_. End it immediately."

"I don't know if I can do that," Andromeda whispered, tears beginning to fall.

"Well, you're going to have to," Bellatrix snapped unsympathetically. "Godric, Andy, what the bloody hell happened to you? What happened to your values and sense of propriety?"

"I don't want to be like Narcissa!" Andromeda shrieked. "I don't want to give up my hopes for love in my marriage so I can marry a "good" match that Father approves of. I don't want to marry for blood; I want to marry for _love_. You asked what happened to me, but look at you, look at Cissy! Look who you're marrying! You both wanted something better! Little girls become young women and the world devours their soul," she finished bitterly.

Narcissa's eyes widened. "That's not true," she whispered softly, knowing that it was and hating herself for it.

Bellatrix ignored her, staring at Andromeda. "This is not a fairy-tale, Andromeda," she said harshly. "You will marry who Father tells you to marry. And if you don't break this _disgusting and inappropriate_ relationship off immediately, I will be forced to write to Father myself and tell him."

Narcissa gasped and Andromeda paled. "He'll disown me," she said quietly.

Bellatrix looked away. "Then I suggest you do as I say."

Andromeda stood up, shaking her head, tears welling in her eyes. She looked at Narcissa as if she was about to speak, but stopped and silently stumbled away.

Narcissa bit her lip, hard, and tasted blood. "Bella," she started to say, but Bellatrix's empty look stopped her. A feeling of loss engulfed her, and Narcissa understood that things had changed, forever.


	7. Invisible Scars

**Author's Note: **The prompt was "Invisible Scars." Please review!

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**Invisible Scars**

She was married now. Married to an incredibly handsome man, who just so happened to be an incredibly powerful and wealthy pure-blood. She had everything she had ever wanted.

And really, what did it matter if Lucius stared at other women when she was with him in public? He was married to _her._ It didn't matter that she hardly ever saw him during the day, he was a busy man. It didn't matter that he quickly grew impatient with her. She was immature, and needed to grow up.

Narcissa was blessed, and she knew that. At least she wasn't Bellatrix, married to a man she loathes and serving the most dangerous Dark wizard of the world. At least she wasn't Andromeda, married to a Mudblood and burnt off the tapestry, off the Black family tree.

A shiver ran down Narcissa's back at the name 'Andromeda.' She hadn't spoken to her sister since the day she had hesitantly announced to their father that she was marrying a Mudblood. Bellatrix's eyes had turned a terrifying shade of pitch black, and their father had screamed and cursed Andromeda and disowned her. Andromeda ran away, off to her Mudblood, and Narcissa never saw her again.

But that was okay. Narcissa had Bellatrix, who would never be disowned, who would always be her sister. And it didn't matter if Bellatrix was less fun to be around and more dark and scary, at least she was still Bella, still there. Narcissa took comfort in having that constant in her life. She knew that if she Apparated to Bella's flat, she would be greeted with a scowl and a snarky comment, but she would still be allowed to stay as long as she wanted. And Narcissa used that knowledge to her advantage, visiting often. She couldn't help it. She was lonely and Lucius wasn't there.

Her life looked picture-perfect, but that's because Narcissa knew how to make those scars and cracks invisible.


	8. Memories

**Author's Note: **The quote for this chapter was_ "If This Is A Trip Down Memory Lane, I Want Amnesia." _Please review! :D

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**Memories**

"You're both being ridiculous! He poses no threat to the Dark Lord! Really, it's disrespectful that you would even _suggest _otherwise."

Narcissa sipped her tea, looking away from the intensity of the conversation before her. Lucius, Bellatrix, and Regulus were all ignoring her, talking about the Dark Lord's business. They all had his Mark branded onto their left forearm, all except for her. Narcissa was all for the cause of pure-blood supremacy, but really, there is a reason that Bellatrix was the only female follower. Proper ladies do not have a need to run around in a cloak, throwing curses at Mudbloods. Anyway, Lucius would have a fit if his wife dared to express an interest in anything other than supervising the household, social gatherings, or shopping.

"Bella, if you'd step down from your role as _lap dog _for a second, you'd realize that- put your wand down, for Godric's sake!"

"You _dare_ to insult _me_, Malfoy? You're simply jealous that the Dark Lord favors me, over you."

"I won't even dignify that with a response. You're acting like a child- Bella! Narcissa, _please _control your sister."

Narcissa shook herself out of her daydream. "Oh that I could," she said wryly. "Bella, please don't dismember my husband."

Lucius glared at her, but Bellatrix looked slightly mollified, which is what Narcissa was intending. "Well, Cissy, just for you," she said, shooting daggers at Lucius, and put the wand back in her robes.

Narcissa smiled. "Thank you. And really, haven't you talked about this business enough? It's tea-time now."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and Lucius snorted. "Narcissa, this is a bit more important than tea. I realize that you don't understand us, but-"

"Don't you _dare_ condescend to my sister, Malfoy," Bellatrix said with clear distaste. "She's right. This isn't the time to discuss this."

Regulus broke the brooding tension by smiling sweetly at Narcissa. "I'm sure you want to go back to the times when the major issue during tea-time was whether or not it was worth it to sneak out to Hogsmeade by ourselves."

Narcissa laughed, and was reminded of how _young_ Regulus seemed…hardly old enough to be considered an adult, much less a Death Eater. "I never thought it was worth it. We always did it though."

"And it always was worth it," Bellatrix said, somewhat wistfully, and Narcissa remembered how she and Sirius would be the ringleaders of their adventures.

"Well, except for when Father caught us," Narcissa said, wincing. "And your mother, Reggie."

Regulus laughed, rolling his eyes. "Merlin, that was bad. Their curses were pretty effective."

Bellatrix snorted. "Hardly. It never stopped us. And really, I think it helped me. It strengthened me for what the Dark Lord put me through before appointing me as his follower."

Regulus nodded thoughtfully. "That's true."

"Well, it didn't help me at all!" Narcissa said, pouting. "If it helped you so much, you should have just took my punishments for me."

"We Blacks are rather selfish," Bellatrix said, grinning. "We wouldn't have done that."

"Didn't Andromeda take a punishment or two for you, Cissy?" Regulus mused, before freezing and staring at Bellatrix with horror.

Narcissa also looked nervously at Bella, who was turning red. The room suddenly felt a thousand degrees colder.

"Perhaps," Bella said icily. "But she also decided that whoring around with filth was more important than family. So excuse me if I can't agree that loyalty and family values were her first priority."

"Right," Regulus agreed miserably. "Right, I didn't think that they were, I was just remembering…."

Narcissa bit her lip, also remembering Andromeda winking at her and telling her father that it was her fault. Remembering Andromeda comforting her after Narcissa _did_ get punished. Remembering the laughter, and the love, and the seemingly unbreakable bond of sisterhood. With a cry, she pushed her chair from the table. "If this is a trip down memory lane," she blurted. "I want amnesia!" She stood up and ran away from the table.

In the background, she could hear Lucius making a snarky remark, and Bella's retorting snap, and Regulus' uncomfortable sigh. She started to cry, missing Andy.

Bellatrix came up behind her and lightly touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry your tea-time turned out to be such a disaster," she said softly.

Narcissa tried to control her sobs. "It's my fault, I shouldn't be acting like such a baby!"

Bella smiled at her, almost tenderly. "We're used to it by now," she teased. "Let's just…forget about it."

Narcissa nodded, realizing that she could never talk about Andromeda to Bellatrix. "I'll pretend it never even happened," she whispered, talking about her meltdown, but also meaning Andromeda, and her life with her former sister.


	9. Caring and Being Careful

**Author's Note: **The prompt for this chapter was "_Truly, If You Cared, None Of This Would've Happened." _I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!! :)

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**Caring and Being Careful**

"Narcissa! Cissy, come here quick!"

Narcissa looked up from her embroidery, recognizing the franticness in her sister's voice. "Bella?" she asked, her voice shaky with panic, as she quickly strode towards the sound of the voice. "What has happened?"

Narcissa turned the corner, and Bellatrix was there, white-faced and bleeding, holding an unconscious Lucius. "He's hurt," she whispered. "Badly."

Narcissa flew to his side, screaming over her shoulder for a house-elf. "What happened?" she snapped, letting her white dress redden with blood as she held the fabric of the hem against a gaping wound on Lucius' chest.

Bellatrix shook her head. "We were attacked. I- I can't talk about it now, Cissy, please." She closed her eyes, her breathing shallow.

Narcissa glanced at her for a second in concern, before turning to the house-elves gathered around her injured husband. "Does he need to go to St. Mungo's?"

One of the house-elves nodded, staring at Lucius' wound in horror, but Bellatrix shook her head angrily. "No! He'd be arrested on the spot! Cissy, it's too dangerous, and he'd be furious if he knew you were even considering it."

Narcissa nodded, beginning to panic. "Right. Then one of you, take care of Mrs. Lestrange's injuries, and the rest of you, I need hot water and towels and bandages, _now._"

The house-elves quickly dispersed, one whisking Bellatrix away. The rest returned with what Narcissa had asked for, and she immediately began to dab at the deep wound. It didn't seem as if it would do any good, Narcissa thought with concern, but she pressed a towel against it, hoping to hold back the blood flow.

After what seemed like forever, as Narcissa went through towel after towel, Lucius began to stir. "Cissa?" he murmured weakly.

"Sshh, shhh, you're fine," Narcissa whispered soothingly, tears of relief springing to her eyes. "Do you hurt? Is it just your stomach?"

Lucius nodded, wincing, and Narcissa wrapped a bandage around him.

"I think I stopped the bleeding," she said, giving a small, triumphant smile. "Let's get you to a bed."

She pointed her wand at him and he rose into the air, barely stirring. Narcissa directed him to their bedroom, lowering him gently on their bed. "Now, get some rest," she soothed, pushing his hair back.

He grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave. "Cissa," he moaned, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. "Don't…leave. Please."

"What did they do to you?" she asked, eyes wide in alarm.

"Bella and I….we were trying to….to do something for the Dark…the Dark Lord. And….and the Order was there….it was twelve against us two, Cissy. And they wouldn't….relent. And we managed to…escape. But….when we returned…..to the Dark Lord….he was……angered by our….our failure," Lucius closed his eyes briefly, his face strained. "And we were punished."

Narcissa looked horrified. "Oh Lucius. I'm sorry."

He nodded once, his eyes slowly shutting, exhausted from the effort of speaking. A moment later, his grip on Narcissa's arm slackened, and he drifted off into sleep. Narcissa sighed heavily and gently kissed his forehead, before briskly leaving the room.

She opened the door to Bellatrix's guest room, and was instantly gratified to see her sister cleaned up and alert, sitting in bed. "Cissy," she said, sounding a hundred times stronger.

"How are you?"

"Completely fine," Bellatrix said, with a tinge of hardness to her voice.

Narcissa nodded, knowing what it must have cost her to appear weak before her baby sister- before anyone, for that matter. "Lucius told me what happened," she said calmly.

Bellatrix looked dubious for a second, but a glance in Narcissa's eyes told her the truth. "What an idiot," she snapped. "_Why_ he would have told you, _I_ have _no_ idea."

"He told me because he cares for me," snapped Narcissa. "Unlike you, apparently."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "I care for you, Narcissa," she said harshly, her tone contrasting with the words. "Which is e_xactly why_ I didn't tell you."

Narcissa laughed, slightly hysterical. "Truly, Bella, if you cared, _none_ of this would have happened!"

Bellatrix's eyes tightened. "And you think this because?"

"I know you were the one who led my husband into that death trap. He could have been _killed!"_ Narcissa shrieked.

"I could have been killed too, _Cissy_," Bellatrix snapped. "And I didn't drag him there, he went on his own free will because he realizes the importance of our mission!"

The unspoken implication lay in the air between them. Narcissa spoke her first, her eyes narrowed. "I understand that you think I'm a complete and utter twit, unable to comprehend the _importance _of your precious mission. I know you _all _think that! I do understand the importance, but I also understand the importance of staying alive, which is more than I can say for any of you!"

Bellatrix looked at her coldly. "You're raving. It's most unbecoming, Narcissa."

Narcissa seemed to crumple into herself. "I just wish you'd be more careful," she whispered. "Please. I love him. I love _you._"

Bellatrix gave her a lazy smile. "I'm always careful. If I wasn't, we'd both have been dead, wouldn't we?"

Narcissa sighed impatiently, knowing that her definition of careful didn't match with Bella's definition. Bellatrix, who was reckless and spontaneous and wild, didn't truly understand the meaning of being careful. She had always known this, and had winced appropriately when Bellatrix had regaled her with stories of her wild, reckless behavior. But now what she once regarded as a little quirk of Bella's seemed more important, more _real._ It could cost Bella her life; it could cost _Lucius_ his life.

Before, Narcissa had not quite grasped the reality of being intertwined with the Dark Lord's mission of pureblood supremacy. Now, she had the blood of her husband on her dress, and was staring at her injured sister, and she understood perfectly. Narcissa couldn't help but wish that she was still engulfed in her naiveté, and understood nothing.

Understanding was a thousand times more terrifying than she had ever thought possible.


	10. My Baby

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long wait between updates! I'll try to get better with that :) The prompt was "My baby" and as always, I appreciate your reviews!

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**My Baby**

Narcissa lay on the bed, tears in her eyes. She was in labor, with her first child, and it _hurt._ "I want something for the pain," she hissed through clenched teeth.

The Healer witch smiled. "I already gave you something. Let it have time to work."

"I want something more!" she snapped, near hysterics. Lucius was Merlin-knows-where, having kissed her forehead as she experienced her first contraction, and telling her he would see her after the birth. She had been in this awful room, experiencing pain like she had never known before, for _hours_ now. She was alone with this _infuriating _woman, and she was about to break down and sob in the most unladylike manner possible.

The door cracked open, and Bellatrix peeked her head around the corner. "Cissy?" she asked, confused. "What's going on?"

"I'm in labor," Narcissa said, struggling to stay calm. "Stay with me, Bella, _please_."

Bellatrix looked uncomfortable. "Oh," she managed. "Well. I suppose I could stay for a bit."

Narcissa winced as another contraction ripped through her.

The Healer's eyes lit up in excitement. "I think it's time. Start pushing!"

Bella's eyes widened and she looked longingly at the door. Narcissa grabbed her hand. "I don't know if I can," she choked out.

"Just try," the Healer said encouragingly.

"Come on, Cissy, you're brave, you can do this," Bellatrix murmured.

Narcissa gritted her teeth and pushed. It hurt, more than anything, and a mangled scream escaped through her lips. "I don't want to do this anymore," she said, tears pricking at her eyes. "Get it out with magic!"

The Healer chuckled irritatingly. "You know I can't do that. This is your baby, you will love him or her, just give me another big push."

Narcissa tried again, before dissolving into tears. "Bella. I'm not brave, I'm not you. I don't think I can do this."

Bellatrix looked as if this was the last place on earth she wanted to be. "You can do this. But if it helps, pretend you're me. Be brave like me."

"I don't even know if _you_ could do this," Narcissa snapped childishly, forgetting for a second that Bellatrix had experienced the Cruciatus Curse countless times before. 'Course, she figured, this might be on the same level of pain.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I couldn't," she said dryly. "So show me up. Push the bastard out."

The Healer clucked disapprovingly, but Narcissa let out a strained chuckle before pushing with all her might. She mangled Bellatrix's hand as she bit back another scream, determined to try to retain some semblance of dignity.

"Good," the Healer praised. "I see the head! Give me another big push!"

Narcissa thought about all the ways she could murder this Healer while she pushed and squeezed Bella's hand. Finally, the Healer laughed in relief and held up a slimy and screaming baby. "We have a baby!"

"Oh!" Narcissa gasped, the pain immediately forgotten. "Let me hold him…or is it a her?"

"It's a boy," the Healer grinned, waving her wand and cleaning the baby off. "Here, take your son."

She placed the crying baby into Narcissa's arms. A smile lit up Narcissa's face. "He's beautiful. Isn't he, Bella?"

Bellatrix nodded. "He looks like a Malfoy, though, but I'm sure he's a Black inside. Cissy, good job, I'm just going to-" She waved her hand towards the door vaguely, clearly desperate to escape.

Narcissa nodded, her gaze transfixed on her son. "Tell Lucius," she murmured.

Bellatrix quickly left the room, and a few moments later, Lucius appeared. The Healer discretely excused herself, and Lucius rushed to her side. "A son?"

Narcissa nodded. "Our perfect son," she whispered, smiling at Lucius.

She had never seen Lucius so happy. "Oh, Cissa," he breathed. "Thank you." He kissed her sweaty forehead. "May I…hold him?"

"Of course," Narcissa said, lifting the baby into his arms. "Isn't he beautiful? Bella said he looks like a Malfoy."

Lucius grinned with pride. "He does!"

Narcissa smiled. "Now that we know what he looks like, what do you think his name should be?"

Lucius shook his head, staring at the baby. "I don't know," he muttered, seemingly in a daze. "Would you like to carry on the Black tradition of naming him after the stars?"

Narcissa nodded slightly. "I think so, but let's make his name original. And let it reflect both the Black side and the Malfoy side in him."

"Something to show how strong and brave he will be," Lucius agreed.

"Draco," Narcissa offered hesitantly. "Like the constellation. And a dragon."

"Perfect," Lucius breathed. "Draco Malfoy. My son."

Narcissa held out her arms for her son, and Lucius gently handed Draco to her. "My baby," she cooed.

In less than ten minutes, her life had completely and irrevocably changed. Her life had purpose now. She had _achieved_ something. She had created and given birth to this beautiful baby boy, and she no longer felt insignificant. Nothing leading up to this point had made her feel like she was worth something. Cotillions and marrying a wealthy pure-blood had been her greatest achievements thus far.

But now, holding her beautiful son in her arms, Narcissa had done something even Bellatrix hadn't done. She had succeeded, and suddenly, her life truly had meaning.


	11. The Two Sides of Me

**Author's Note:** Another update! I'm terrible at this, sorry. The prompt for this chapter was "The Two Sides of Me," and just a disclaimer, I took enormous liberties with Bellatrix and Lucius' court dates. I'm pretty sure this didn't happen at the same time, but I decided to use artistic license, haha. I hope it's not too distracting. Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts, so leave a review please!

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**The Two Sides of Me**_  
_

Narcissa sat perfectly still in the cold, damp courtroom. She looked, in every sense of the word, a pure-blood princess. Her blonde hair was pulled into a perfect bun, her green silk robes were immensely flattering, and her expression was one of calm acceptance.

On the inside, she was screaming.

Lucius and Bellatrix were on trial, their fates unknown. They fell along with the Dark Lord, and Narcissa didn't know if they could be restored.

The Dementors dragged out Lucius from his place along the other Death Eaters. Barty Crouch looked down at the teary Lucius, his expression one of deep disdain. "Lucius Malfoy," he said, curling his lip slightly. "Pleads the Imperius Curse."

Lucius stood up, his face chalky white. "Yes, yes. I didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't aware, until just the other day, when the…the Dark Lord…You-Know-Who…when he fell, that I was even under his curse. I was completely oblivious, completely."

"Yes, yes, we know what the Imperius Curse's effects are," snarled Crouch. "I don't suppose you have any _proof_?"

Lucius paled. "No, no, I don't. But I assure you, I did not act for the…for _him _willingly! I am disgusted with what he has done, all the murders." Beads of sweat have appeared on Lucius' forehead. "Just horrible, I never would have willingly helped with that."

The Minister, Fudge, cleared his throat. "Mr. Crouch, Mr. Malfoy has given an extremely donation to the Ministry once he was released from the Curse. He said it was meant to ensure the safety of the Muggleborns and half-bloods. I don't suppose he'd have done that if he was really helping You-Know-Who."

Crouch snorted. "All those in favor of convicting Lucius Malfoy, a _murderer_ and a _Death Eater_, to Azkaban for a life sentence?" He thrust his hand into the air, glowering at the court.

Narcissa's heart was in her throat as she watched a scattering of hands raise. _Merlin, no, not Lucius._ She felt as if she would begin hyperventilating or screaming, but she managed to keep the placid look on her face.

Fudge smiled. "That's not the majority, Barty."

Crouch's face turned red and the vein on his forehead began pulsing, but he nodded. "Fine," he wheezed. "Lucius Malfoy, cleared of all charges."

Lucius crumpled to the ground, weak with relief. "Thank you, thank you," he managed.

Heads swiveled in the audience to seek out Narcissa. She was still sitting there calmly, but she allowed a small smile to cross her lips.

On the inside, she was screaming, jumping for joy, crying with pure elation. She was so happy, but she refused to give these people the satisfaction of seeing her reaction. They were the ones that wanted Lucius imprisoned, they were the ones who would have been eagerly watching her for a sign of weakness if Lucius had been sentenced. She was a Black; she had no need to display her emotions to the world.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Crouch snapped, jarring Narcissa from her thoughts. She felt her stomach sink. Bellatrix would never grovel in front of the court; never bribe her way to freedom. She would feel it was an honor to be jailed for her lord, and would never give a second thought to those she'd be leaving behind.

Indeed, Bellatrix sauntered forward, cackling madly. "The Dark Lord will rise again!" she called, in her high, cold voice that sent chills even up Narcissa's spine.

Crouch looked absolutely disgusted. "You have been charged with both being a Death Eater and torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom into insanity. Do you deny it?"

Bellatrix smirked at him, her hooded eyes glittering. "I did it for my Lord, he is powerful and worthy and he will rise again and I will be there to greet him as his loyal and faithful servant." She laughed, cold and clear, and Crouch recoiled.

Narcissa was frozen in horror. She struggled to ignore the accusing looks sent her way, the looks that screamed _she's your sister, she's your blood_. She struggled to keep acting like the poised pure-blood princess, the one who didn't have a madwoman as her sister, who didn't _care_ about her mad sister.

"All those in favor of life in Azkaban?" Crouch shouted.

In a matter of seconds, every hand was raised. Narcissa felt the probing eyes on her again, and kept her face in a mask of cool indifference.

Bellatrix defiantly threw her black curls behind her shoulders. "I will wait for my Lord!" she screamed. "I will return to serve him as his most loyal servant!"

The Dementors glided forward and dragged her away. Her screams echoed in the courtroom until they faded away to nothing, and she was gone. Narcissa briefly closed her eyes.

Crouch looked as if he had aged ten years (and Narcissa remembers with a start that he had sentenced his son earlier that day), but had a look of grim triumph. He cleared his throat. "Court dismissed."

The audience began to file out, and Narcissa stood up. She held her head high as she made her way down the stairs to the main floor, where Lucius was standing. People openly stared as she walked to him. "Darling," she murmured, conscious of the eavesdroppers surrounding her.

Lucius managed a smile. "Narcissa. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Nonsense," Narcissa said briskly. "You were innocent, I expected no other outcome."

Lucius kissed her forehead, and Narcissa had to struggle not to break down and cry. Her one remaining sister was in Azkaban, as good as dead, and she had almost lost her husband. It took everything she had to simply smile at Lucius and pull away, calm and composed. It took everything she had not to scream.

She took Lucius' hand, and if he could tell that her hand was shaking, he didn't let on. After all, he was a Malfoy, groomed since infancy to appear as the perfect pure-blood prince, he knew as well as she did the importance of appearances.

"Let's go home," she said grandly, keeping her head held high. There were two sides to her, and the public would only see one side. This was drilled into her head since birth. Her father used to chant to her, _never let them see you cry. _

On the inside, she was screaming, crying, half-mad over the loss of her sister, her Bella.

On the outside, she was Narcissa Malfoy, the emotionless ice-queen.

And to keep the emotions from drowning her, from overwhelming her, she let her outside persona take hold of her and didn't let it go. It was easier that way.


	12. Warning

**Author's Note: **Prompt= "Black and Blue." Reviews are definitely appreciated! :D

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**Warning**

Lucius came home that night, smelling of smoke and blood and death. Narcissa lay awake in bed, watching him toss off the familiar black hooded robes and crawl into bed beside her.

"Where were you?" she asked softly, her voice drifting off into the darkness.

Lucius jerked suddenly in surprise. "Narcissa. I didn't know you were awake. I hope I didn't wake you."

"I wasn't asleep," Narcissa said coolly. "I was waiting for you. Where were you tonight?"

"It's none of your concern," Lucius replied, just as coolly. "Go to sleep, Narcissa."

Narcissa sat up abruptly. "Lucius. What happened tonight?"

He sighed and with a flick of his wand, the lamp turned on and they were bathed in light. "Do you really want to get into this tonight, Cissa? I'm tired."

"I'm sure it concerns me just as much as it does you," Narcissa replied unsympathetically.

"Fine," Lucius snapped, and Narcissa noticed the haggard look on his face. "The Dark Lord is back."

Narcissa nodded slightly, and their eyes met. "What happened?"

Lucius shook his head. "Potter…he was in the Triwizard tournament. One of the Death-Eaters, I don't know who, had made the championship cup a Portkey. Potter and another one came into this graveyard. I don't know what happened, but when I was summoned, the other was dead and the Dark Lord had risen again. Potter escaped. "

"And?" Narcissa asked slowly, her mind whirling.

"He said I had disappointed him," Lucius said with a grimace. "That he expects more faithful service from me in the future."

Narcissa shook her head. "No."

"Excuse me?" Lucius asked dangerously, his voice like silk.

"You can't, Lucius," Narcissa pleaded. "Please. I can't risk you going to Azkaban again, this if the Dark Lord falls again, you-."

"Silence," Lucius shouted suddenly, before lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. "Don't you dare say anything like that ever again. Disloyalty will not be tolerated by the Dark Lord, Narcissa. Be mindful of what you say and think."

"Fine," Narcissa said impatiently. "But Lucius, please. Think of the dangers-"

"What is dangerous is _not _obeying the Dark Lord," Lucius said icily. "I would be killed in a heartbeat, as would you and Draco. Do you want that, Narcissa?"

Narcissa laughed coldly. "Well, it's nice you're finally bothering yourself to think of our family's best interest."

"What?" Lucius asked, his eyes narrowing.

"You certainly didn't think twice before signing all our lives away to the Dark Lord," Narcissa breathed, watching his face for a reaction. "We're all doomed now, because of you. I hope you're happy."

In an instant, Lucius grabbed Narcissa's wrist, crushing it until she let out a strangled cry. "Listen to me," he whispered dangerously. "You will not speak of this again. What's done is done, and you will be the supportive wife and loyal follower of the Dark Lord. He is our salvation, and with him, we will be more powerful than ever. The Malfoys will be his most loyal servants, and I will not tolerate any protests from you. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Narcissa struggled fruitlessly against his ironclad grip. "Yes," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

Lucius released her wrist and without another word, flicked the light off. Narcissa lay stiffly on her back, staring up at the ceiling, until her eyes fully adjusted to the darkness and Lucius had fallen into a fitful sleep. She looked at her wrist, staring at the black and blue bracelet adorning it.

Black and blue diamonds and a warning of the terror to come.


End file.
